I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by beautifying communities.

Meet Raasin McIntosh, Olympic and collegiate athlete ,and Founder of the non-profit organization Raasi…

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by encouraging neighbors to actively take part in zero waste.

Meet Taylor Youngblood, a recycle and reuse advocate and Zero Waste Block Leader. Taylor regularly provides advice to her neighbors in the Mueller neighborhood about recycling, composting, and reuse. She tables at events,…

We’re making Austin Net-Zero by organizing students to demand climate action.

Meet Matthew Kim and Emma Galbraith, our newest Net-Zero Heroes. Matthew and Emma are Austin-area high school students who recently helped lead the youth climate change demons…

Alert! Tree Emergency!

Austin, we need to prepare for a very serious problem that could have big impacts on our urban forest. Even if you don’t know much about trees, you can help! 

Ash trees (Fraxinus spp.) could be attacked at any time by a destructive insect called Emerald Ash Borer (EAB), Agrilus planipennis. All species of ash can be hosts for EAB. This beetle was accidentally brought to the US from Asia. It was firs…

I'm helping to make Austin Net-Zero by helping people become beekeepers!

Meet our newest Net-Zero Hero, Dodie Stillman. Dodie is a certified Master Beekeeper who is passionate about honey bees and sharing her beekeeping knowledge. Dodie currently serves as the President of the Austin…

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by working to make hands-on, outdoor learning common practice in public schools.

Meet Ilya Shmulenson, Deputy Director at PEAS (Partners for Education, Agriculture, and Sustainability). When Ilya was growing up, he didn’t have access to outdoor learning. It wasn’t until he attended college that he discovered the power of learn…

Margret Hofmann was born in Germany in 1925. Growing up during the rise of Hitler and the Second World War, she witnessed the destruction of lives and places she loved. The experience left her committed to fighting for the things she cared for most. “The burden is that you feel you have to fight apathy… I have an increased sense of appreciation to have food, to sleep at night.”

Margret immigrated to the United States in 1946, eventually settling with her husband in Austin, Texas. In Austin, Marg…

I’m helping to make Austin Net-Zero by creating an energy-efficient, low-waste culinary incubator that assists over 20 local food + tech companies

Meet Joi Chevalier, our newest Net-Zero Hero! Joi started The Cook’s Nook, Austin’s first shared commercial kitchen and culinary incubator. Prior to opening the Cook’s Nook, Joi worked as an e-commerce product manager and marketing director in…

One of the best things about Austin is the abundance of quiet, natural spaces often nestled near bustling shopping districts, roadways, and neighborhoods. Think: Hotel San Jose’s green escape from the crowds on South Congress, or the “secret beach” hidden behind Roy G. Guerrero Park. This is what the Athena Montessori Academy feels like. The school has managed to create a natural haven for its young learners, tucked just a block or so away from Ben White Boulevard.

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“Hackberry? That’s a trash tree.” Most of us in Central Texas have probably heard someone say this at least a couple of times. Few species of tree are hated as much as the lowly hackberry. But is this justified? Let’s take a closer look at one of our most prolific native species.

Hackberries are in the Genus Celtis. The name “Hackberry” is derived from Scottish “Hagberry,” or “Bird Cherry.” There are nearly 70 species worldwide. Common names include beaverwood, nettlewood, and sugar hackberry. In the Austin area, three species…